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Kelsea Schumacher (Fed)
Circular Economy Program Director - Emerging Areas
Kelsea Schumacher oversees the Emerging Areas portion of NIST's Circular Economy Program, focusing on textiles, electronics, batteries, solar PV, alloys, and food waste—sectors for which established recovery and recycling systems are nascent or underdeveloped. This necessitates innovative approaches to measurement, standardization, and technological development. In this role, Kelsea follows evolving trends, fosters collaborative relationships in- and outside of NIST, and directs program resources to maximize impact. Kelsea works in close partnership with Michelle Seitz to strategically align and maximize the effectiveness of their respective portfolios within the Circular Economy Program.
Prior to this role, Kelsea was a Research Associate in the Circular Economy Program, where she initiated and led research on recycling systems and strategically expanded the program's scope to address a wider range of circular economy challenges. Kelsea holds a Ph.D. in Energy and Environmental Policy from the University of Delaware, where she studied electronic waste recycling and policy. She also earned an M.S. in Civil Engineering with a focus on cementitious materials and a B.S. in Environmental Engineering, both from Oregon State University.
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